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Someone has rightly said "Age is just a state of mind. You are as old as you think you are. You can say all this and get away with it, so long as you are not a performing sportsperson". For some people, age marks the end of the career but for some it's just a number. Sports,for the most part is considered as the domain of the young, but this conventional definition has changed over the last few years. There is no age limit to achieve your dreams, there is no age bar that can stop you from being successful.There have been numerous instances where a sports player has achieved name and fame in the Mid 30's. So let's take a look at the top 10 Indian 30+ athletes.Note: This list has athletes who are still active at the highest level.
#10 Achanta Sharath Kamal - 32
32 year old Chennai born paddler,Achantha Sharath Kamalis considered as the one of the best table tennis players India has ever produced.Sharath Kamal, a three-time Commonwealth games champion came into limelight when he qualified for the 2004 Athens Olympics.
In the year 2007, he was the first Indian to win the Pyongyong Invitational Tournament held at Pyongyong, North Korea. In 2010, he clinched theUS Open Table Tennis Men's championships.For the last five years, he has been playing in the European league. He is currently associated with the German clubBorussia Dsseldorf.
Ranked 53rdin the world, Sharath Kamal stunned World number eight, Chuang Chih-Yuan of Chinese Taipei and world No. 16Joo Saehyuk from South Koreain the ongoingAsian Cup Table Tennis tournament in Jaipur.
He was honored withArjuna Award in 2004for his brilliant performance in the Commonwealth Championships in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
#9 Mithali Raj - 32
Born in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, 32 year old Mithali Raj is M.S Dhoni’s female counterpart. Mithali, who made her debut against Ireland in 1999 has played a total of 153 One Day matches and has made over 4800 runs with an astounding average of 48.88.
Under her captaincy, Indian team reached the finals of the 2005 World Cup followed by India’s first test win in England. She led the team in Asian Cup win in 2008. She is currently ranked No. 4 in the latest ICC World Rankings for women.
Her best score In ODI’s is 114* and in tests it is 214. In addition to her batting skills, Mithali is also a part time leg-break bowler. Though women’s cricket is not a much recognized sport in India, but what Mithali Raj has achieved in last 16 years is surely acknowledgeable.
She was conferred with the Arjuna Award in 2003 and Padma Shri in 2015.
#8 Shiva Keshavan - 33
Shiva Keshavan is one of the most renowned names when it comes to winter sports. Keshavan, who hails from Manali, Himachal Pradesh is the current Asian record holder in Luge. He is a five time Olympian and the first Indian athlete to compete in Luge at the Winter Olympics.
In 1998, he became the youngest ever luge participant in the history of the Winter Olympics. In 2002, he was offered to represent Italy but he gracefully rejected the offer. The condition of winter sports in India is not good. The 33-year-old Luger has written to sports ministry to help him finacially for a number of times, but has never received a positive response.
The bad condition of winter sports in India can be seen from the fact that Keshvan hired his first personal coach after 18 years. Duncan Reneddy, a former World Champion signed to train Keshavan for next four years in November, 2014. He missed out on five World Cup berths in last winter due to lack of funds as the government didn’t support the country's winter sports star.
"If a five-time Olympian, two-time Asian Champion, with 6 international medals in his kitty, has to beg the Government for funds each year, there is something really wrong in our system and it needs to be seriously looked into," said Keshavan.
Keshavan, who is hailed as the fastest man is Asia in the Limca Book of Records at 149.9 km/h received the prestigious Arjuna Award in 2012.
#7 Viswanathan Anand - 45
Viswanathan Anand, five-time World champion and the first recipient of the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, is currently the World No. 6 in the latest FIDE World Rankings. He has kept the Indian flag flying for long.
Anand, a former World No. 1 was also the first grandmaster of India. Anand is one of eight players in history to pass 2800 Elo on the FIDE rating list. In 2007, he became the undisputed World Champion, he successfully defended his title in 2008,2010 and 2012 but lost to current World No.1 Magnus Carlsen in 2013 and then in 2014.
Anand has been in quite a decent form over the last two years. In 2013, he finished third in Alkekhine Memorial tournament.In December 2014, he won his maiden London Classic title after defeating British Grandmaster Michael Adams in the final round.
#6 Gagan Narang - 31
Ace marksman and an eight time Commonwealth Games gold medalist, Gagan Narang is currently one of the best rifle shooters in the country. Aged 31, Narang started his career when he won the gold medal at the Afro-Asian Games in 2003 in the 10m air rifle event. He then won the gold at the World Cup in 2006.
He created a new record by scoring a perfect 600 in the qualification round of ISSF World Cup final in 2008. He scored 103.5 in the final round making a total score of 703.5 to gain the universe record. He made the country proud by winning bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics.
Gagan Narang won one silver medal and one bronze medal in 50-metre rifle prone and 50-metre rifle 3 position respectively at the Glasgow Commonwealth games. He also grabbed the gold in 10 m Air Rifle at National Shooting Trials in Kerala.
He was conferred with the Padma Shree Award in 2010 and with Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in 2011. His next aim would be to qualify for the 2016 Rio Olympics.
#5 Seema Punia - 31
2014 Asian Games gold medallist discus thrower Seema Punia Antil will be India’s best bet in Athletics at the 2016 Rio Olympics. After the downfall of Krishna Punia, Seema has carried the nation’s hopes in women’s discus in last one and a half year.
Born in Sonipat, Haryana, Seema Punia came into limelight when she won the gold medal at the 2000 World Junior Championships in Santiago,Chile but unfortunately the medal was taken back as she was tested positive for banned drug pseudoephedrine. She made an outstanding comeback in the 2002 World Junior Championships as she won the bronze medal by hurling the discus to 55.83m.
Seema, who won the silver at the Commonwealth games in Glasgow last year feels that lack of funds is proving to be a hindrance to her dream of winning a 2016 Rio Olympics medal for the country. "I am ready to give my best to realise my dream of winning gold for the country. But lack of funds is a big obstacle in achieving my target” said Seema in a felicitation programme after the 2014 Asian Games.
She will next participate in the IAAF World Championships which will take place in Beijing from 22nd August to 30th August.
#4 Mary Kom - 32
Mangte Chungneijang Mary Kom or popularly known as M.C Mary Kom is a four time Asian and five time World champion.The 32-year-old boxer from Manipur has made the nation proud at the highest level for a number of times.
Currently ranked 4th in the 51 kg. wt category, SuperwomanMary Komwon her first gold at the Asian Gamesin Incheon, last year when she defeated Kazakh boxer in the summit clash. This medal was a lot more specialbeacuse this was thefirst ever boxing gold medal for India at the Asian Games.
she currently runs theMary Kom Boxing Academy in Imphal to train the young boxers so that they can also win medals for the nation in future.The academy provides free training to underprivileged children.
Mary Kom will be participating in the AIBA World Women boxing Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan next year to confirm her berth for the 2016 Olympics.
Mary, who is a mother of three children will quit boxing after the 2016 Rio Olympics."I have decided that I will quit after 2016 Olympics. Rio Games will be my last competitive event and I will not continue after that,"said Mary in an interview. Mary won the Arjuna Award in 2003;Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in 2009 and Padma Bhushan in 2013.
#3 MS Dhoni - 33
Captain of Indian Cricket team in limited over formats, Mahendra Singh Dhoni is a legendary batsman and one of the best skippers in the world. Born on 7th July 1981 in Ranchi,Jharkhand; Dhoni took over the ODI captaincy from Rahul Dravid in 2007.
Under his leadership, India won the 2007 World T20 in South Africa and the 2011 World Cup at home, besides the Champions Trophy in England two years ago. Dhoni was also awarded as the man of the match in the final match of the 2011 World Cup for his stellar performance of 91 not out off 79 balls.
In the ongoing World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, Dhoni surpassed former skipper Sourav Ganguly as the most successful Indian captain in terms of ODI victories achieved on foreign soil. Apart from this, Dhoni is the only captain in cricket history to have won all three ICC Trophies (World Twenty20, Champions Trophy and World Cup).
He is not just a successful batsman or captain, but also a very successfull wicket-keeper. He holds the record for most number of dismissals by an Indian wicket-keeper (323 - Catches 238 and Stumpings- 85).
Dhoni, who is populary referred to as ‘Mahi’ and ‘Captain cool’ retired from the Test matches in December last year.
#2 Leander Paes - 41
Leander Paes in undoubtedlyone of the most respected and admired sportspersons in the country.Paes has won eight doubles and seven mixed doubles Grand Slam titles. Heis still going strong and could win a few more in the coming years.Paes first won titles at the Junior US Open and Junior Wimbledon before turning professional in 1991.
His major breakthrough came in the year 1996 when he won the bronze medal in mens singles at the Atlanta Olympics.This made Leander the first Indian to win an individual medal in the Olympics since Khasabha Dadasahb Jadhav won the bronze in the Helsinki in 1952.
Hewon the Australian Open mixed doubles title with Martina Hingis last month.Paes, who is the oldest man to have won a Grand slam title is the first Indian and the only tennis player in the world to have played in six consecutive Olympics from 1992-2012. He is now gearing up for his 7thOlympic appearence next year.
Having played with a total of 123 different partners (99 in mens doubles and 24 in mixed doubles), he has won almost all the prestigious awards in the country. He wonthe Arjuna Award in 1990,Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award in 1996-97,the Padma Shri award in 2001 and the Padma Bhushan in 2014.
#1 Sushil Kumar - 31
Sushil Kumar, a former World Champion and a two time Olympic medalist is currently one of the best wrestlers in the country. Born in the Baprola village of Najafgarh, this 31 year old wrestler came into limelight when he won the bronze medal at the Beijing Olympics in 2008. Sushil was born into a family of wrestlers and was introduced to the sport by his cousin Sandeep, who gave up the game to support Sushil, as the family couldn’t afford the expenses of both.
Sushil’s maiden international medal came at the age of 15, when he clinched the gold at the World Cadet Games in Poland in 1998. He followed this up with a gold in the Asian Junior Wrestling Championship in 2000. He then became the state champion at the age of 18. He also won the gold in the 2010 and 2014 Commonwealth Games.
Sushil Kumar, who won the Arjuna Award in 2005 was bestowed with India's highest sporting honour, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award in 2009. He was recently selected by the Delhi Government to promote sports in the city. As part of the plan, Sushil would also promote special sports degree programmes in Delhi.
He will next participate in the IWF World Championships which will be held in Houston in October. This tournament will also serve as the Qualification tournament for 2016 Rio Olympics.
